US opposes UN resolution against Israeli settlement expansion

 

 The Cradle

The US voiced opposition to the UN Security Council’s resolution to stop the further expansion of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories on 16 February, despite Washington previously criticizing Israel on the issue.

A few days before the proposed resolution, AP disclosed that it demanded that Tel Aviv “immediately and completely cease” settlement expansion and construction in the occupied territories.

Israel’s new extremist government has faced mass criticism over increasing Tel Aviv’s military operations in the West Bank and its bid to legitimize and construct settlement outposts and housing units in the occupied territories. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to annex more of the West Bank, with his party recently proposing the annexation of the Jordan Valley.

Washington expressed that it was “deeply dismayed” by Tel Aviv’s decision to expand its settlements. However, the US State Department affirmed that it would not support the resolution, reportedly proposed by the UAE – one of the Arab states that normalized relations with Israel during the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020.

The State Department spokesman Vedant Patel remarked: “Our view is that the introduction of this resolution was unhelpful in supporting the conditions necessary to advance the negotiations of a two-state solution.”

On the other hand, Palestinian activists and political experts have indicated that the further expansion of settlements into the Palestinian territories will hinder efforts to reach a two-state solution.  

Earlier this week, the Israeli government authorized the construction of nine occupation outposts in the West Bank, which drew mass opposition from the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Over half a million Israelis live across 200 settlements on Palestinian land, including several areas in the West Bank. These settlements are deemed illegal under international law.

This came a week after Israel’s Religious Zionism party issued a statement highlighting that there will be “no pause” to the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, despite pushback from US officials.

“There will be no construction freeze in [the West Bank], period. There will be no damage done to Israeli deterrence against terrorists, period. There will be no continuation of illegal construction and Arab land-grabbing in open areas, period,” the statement reads.